Self-Checkout Product Ordering: A UX Research for Food Retail

Case
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Demo: Comparing product type, alphabetical, and best-seller ordering in Centric's self-checkout solution. 00:00

What customers preferred

The results were clear. Shoppers strongly preferred ordering by similar product type, with alphabetical ordering a solid second. Ordering by best-selling products came last - what sells well at the till isn't necessarily what's easy to locate on a menu.

Photorealistic photo of a supermarket with people at self-checkout clicking on a screen, with fruits and vegetables visible in the scene
"I like having similar product types grouped together, because if I'm looking for an apple for example, when I see the first apple, my mind goes: ‘I've found the apples!’ and knowing that similar apples are near helps."

Anonymous

UX Research Participant

Our recommendation for retailers

Based on these findings, we recommend setting similar product type as the primary ordering logic in your OSP groups. For larger or more varied assortments, a hybrid approach works especially well: group products by type first, then order alphabetically within each group. This combines intuitive grouping with the predictability of A-to-Z, giving customers the fastest possible path to the right item.

The bottom line

Small configuration choices have a real impact on the checkout experience. By aligning your product order with how customers actually think and search, you can speed up self-checkout, ease pressure at peak times, and leave shoppers with a smoother final impression of their visit.

Special thank you goes to our UX intern Rutger Peusken, whose research and analysis made this study possible.

Used solution

Retail Software